TF:A Speeding Cars
by JoshinYasha
Summary: Sari is troubled after the death of her father, so it's up to Ratchet and Arcee to try and help her.


_Transformers Animated and all related belong to Hasbro. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission._

_**Disclaimer:** No money, no rights, no life. I own all original characters unless otherwise specified._

_**Dedications:** Like usual, the story is dedicated to the writers for their excellent work. It's also dedicated to all the voice actors, especially Corey Burton and Susan Blu for bringing these wonderful characters (especially my favourites) to life. As well as the writers of Transformers Animated, it's also for the people I love in hopes that this will show that one day I can do something better._

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**Trans Formers: Animated  
Speeding Cars  
Joshin Yasha **(joshinyasha at yahoo dot com)

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"Sari," Ratchet tentatively offered his hand, voice soft, low, and trying not to impose himself to the young girl on her knees. Arcee wrapped her arm around his free one, interlocking the two by the joint, and laced her fingers with his, showing her support. It wasn't a rainy day, nor a snowing one; it was simply a warm summer day with the sun beating down upon their metal with a gentle breeze stirring the petals of flowers marking each stone slab protruding from the ground. Despite the drastic change in technology over the past seventy years, there was still the call for the tradition of granite markers.

"Sari," this time Arcee tried, stepping forward and making certain she did not disturb the ground or gravestones. The female Autobot knelt next to the technorganic girl, reached a hand out, and stroked her back between the jet pack. It felt strange to Arcee that she had met Sari when she was a child, new to her Cybertronian inheritance, and just breaking in her new jet pack. It was only seven years ago, almost to the day, when the accident with the new space bridge had caused a resonant burst of Allspark energy within the girl to fuse the jetpack to her body. Not only that, but it had enlarged the girl's body to roughly the same height as Bumblebee. "Sari, Ratchet and I would like to speak with you if you're feeling up to it."

The technorganic girl had not shed tears since the accident, and now, looking up to Arcee with blue tinted optics, the reflection of the sun in her optics was the only thing reminiscent of her organic half. "Will you come with us?" Arcee pleaded gently, palm stretched out to the girl and supine, fingers slightly curled in a 'come with me' gesture. The look in the girl's optics was vacant now, almost as expressionless as Arcee's had been when her core processor had been--well, that was something she cared not to remember. After the agony of minutes passing by, Sari complied by giving her hand to Arcee, rising to her feet, and allowing herself to be led from the cemetery.

She followed the two for what felt like an eternity. For the duration of the journey to Cybertron, Sari's hand had never left Arcee's grip, nor did she speak. Somewhere along the way, and Sari couldn't remember when exactly, Ratchet had taken her other hand and she had found herself gripping his hand firmly, almost to the point of bending metal in an attempt to remember that he was there. When they had arrived, Sari was in stasis, soundly sleeping to the soft humm of the shuttle.

Ratchet had taken to carrying the technorganic girl, much like he had done in the days they fought Megatron. This time, however, it took both his arms to cradle her close to him. He couldn't help but remember that when Sari had reached the age of fourteen, they'd all realized that she no longer aged like a human. Although her body was fully Cybertronian by that point, changing merely in size, Sari had been disturbed by the growing signs of her father's aging. Tufts of grey hair had been the first indication to the young girl, and she had been inconsolable until Bumblebee and Bulkhead had reminded her that in the end, she would still have her friends. It had been a temporary solution.

When Sari finally awoke, she was still being cradled in Ratchet's arms, however, they were now in a brilliantly lit Cybertronian building that stretched upward to the open skies. "Where are we?" Sari inquired, stepping down from his arms to search the building. The walls seemed to glow with their own brilliance of pastel colours, which her body began to resonate in tune to the thrum of the building.

"This is the Obelisk," Arcee gently spoke, herself and Ratchet following the girl to one of the far walls. It was as if Sari was drawn to it, and they both knew immediately that the girl understood. "This is our memorial for all Cybertronians who have passed on."

Sari drew her technorganic hand across one of the panels, and read the name aloud, "Prosperity." Immediately, the panel beneath her hand thrummed to life, and instantly footage of a silver and pale blue Autobot female filled the screen. She spent moments sitting at a table with friends, laughing and joking, then the next image was of her working in a lab with several others who were intently focused on a centrifuge filled with orange liquid. Another image showed her walking hand in hand with a tan and grey male, pleasantly enjoying themselves as they passed by stores.

"Sari . . ." Ratchet took a moment's pause, and then he continued speaking. "Arcee and I . . . well - we lost a lot of friends long ago during the Great War. Millions of years ago, and countless numbers of friends lost to war, rust, and other things."

"What Ratchet means, Sari," Arcee continued on his behalf, understanding that he was not accustomed to comforting someone, "is that there's not a day that goes by that we don't think about our friends, much like you have been thinking of your father." The technorganic girl turned to face the two, and Arcee could tell she was trying to understand. Arcee had known it was going to be difficult, but until now she hadn't understood the extent to what an organic attachment to someone must have been like. "We've had so many friends," Arcee tried, but she felt herself fumbling. The look in Sari's blue optics was a testament to loss and personal agony.

"This place is a celebration of life," to Arcee's surprise, Ratchet had found his voice. "I understand our customs are different than human ones, but I suppose it's easier for us to remember someone if we have memories of them that we can contribute to a vault. That's what these are," he spread his hands out, indicating to the Obelisk itself. "We house the memories of those no longer with us here, so that we can be remembered."

"I understand," Sari nodded to them both, and drew closer to them. Before she was close to them, however, she felt another thrum of energy from herself pulse with the Obelisk. Sari found herself being drawn to another vault, but this one she recognized. Looking over her shoulder ask if to ask permission, Sari traced her fingers across the name on the vault while Ratchet ushered her to continue. The girl turned back to the vault, and spoke the name as clearly as she could manage, "Prowl."

The frame sprang to life with images of Prowl meditating in his room, only to be comically interrupted by Bumblebee. The next image was from one of Sari's birthdays -- it showed Prowl bending down to give her (she knew it had to be either Bulkhead or Bumblebee's memory, as she remembered Ratchet and Optimus were not yet there) throwing stars to train with. "You can add your memories, too," Sari laced her fingers with Ratchet's after he had placed a friendly hand upon her shoulder.

She looked up to him past her shoulder, and she felt some pressure release from her chest. Sari pressed her hand against the vault and willed her fingers to segment and connect to the interface component. Instantly, the memory of Prowl saving her during the fight with Soundwave flashed upon the screen, followed by him saving her from Meltdown. "Ratchet?" she called to him once her best recalled memories of Prowl copied into the vault. "Am I allowed to make one for my father?"

"I don't see why not," he smiled down to her, and for the first time in awhile, Sari returned the smile. Ratchet and Arcee led Sari along the walls, twisting and turning down long hallways until they found an empty vault. Patiently, Ratchet and Arcee awaited the girl's mission to copy her memories of her father, silently smiling amongst themselves. Relief showed on both of their faces that they had finally managed to help Sari smile again.

Once finished, Sari walked between Ratchet and Arcee, her hands holding theirs firmly in her grasp. There was a renewed bounce to her step, and by the time they reached the heavy doors to the outside, she was already laughing and joking once again.

She gasped as soon as they had stepped outside, "You guys? You're all here!" She gleefully fell into the waiting arms of the yellow and black Autobot, giving him a firm, yet friendly, hug.

"Of course!" he replied, speaking as the voice for the others who were gathered around her. "We'll always be here for you. Always."

She couldn't think of some witty reply, but instead said the only thing she could think of that would convey her enthusiasm: "Thank you! Thanks to all of you!"

End


End file.
